Keck and faculty sound off on performance

“We have had many very candid constructive dialogues between faculty and administration in the last few months,” stated Dr. Thomas Mitchell, Faculty Senate president for 2007-2008.Last April, the faculty evaluated the university administration on various issues, such as administrator’s concern for student welfare, effective communication with faculty, and other aspects.”We ask students to evaluate us as instructors in order to provide us with their perception of how well or how poorly we are teaching our classes. We need this information in order to improve the quality of our courses. Similarly, academic administrators need feedback about their leadership if they are to make constructive adjustments that will improve the quality of academic programs at the university,” stated Keck.”It’s opened up communication, and it’s brought on honest communication,” stated Dr. Ray Keck, TAMIU president. “I think it came out at an unfortunate time.”Last October, Keck told the Laredo Morning Times that the survey was done when the faculty was upset over changes to class size and research projects.Nonetheless, when The Bridge interviewed students and faculty last December, there were mixed reactions. Some students and faculty felt the university focused too much on numbers and not enough on quality.”We have to focus on numbers to do a good job. Without numbers, we can’t generate money for programs. Without quality, we can’t persuade people to come [to TAMIU]. Unfortunately, it’s up to me to make hard calls,” stated Keck.Some of these hard calls have been to change class sizes and cut out programs, such as the social work degree. Some of these changes have students and faculty talking. “Some tension is an inevitable part of the nature of the relationship, just as it is with students and their teachers, employees and their employers. That said, I think that our faculty works extraordinarily well with the adminstration on most issues because we all want to make this the best university it can be,” explained Mitchell.”The university has never been stronger. The campus is staggering, but we have our growing pains,” said Keck.